Priya Entertainments Pvt. Ltd. (PEPL) has been in the field of entertainment for almost a decade. Dedicated to combining "Culture and Commerce", PEPL has done pioneering work in the field of entertainment.
Today, PEPL is an inseparable part of Bengal's cinema and culture. Besides direct ownership of prestigious cinema halls like PRIYA in south Kolkata, and Annapurna Multiplex/Mall (under construction) in Sonarpur(24 Parganas - South), PEPL manages many prestigious cultural complexes like The Star Theatre (North Kolkata), Gitanjali Cultural Complex in Bolpur (Shantiniketan), Krishti Cultural Complex in Memari (Burdwan), Vidyasagar Memorial Hall in Guskara (Burdwan) and Satyajit Mancha in Balurghat(South Dinajpur).
The Company's business extends to the distribution of films as well. It isthe only Indian company to have tie-ups with leading Hollywood names like Sony Pictures, Walt Disney (Buena Vista International), and Paramount Pictures. PEPL’s Indian business partners include UTV Films, NDTV Lumiere, Acropolis etc.
Under the banner of Piyali Films, PEPL has also produced films, most of which have gone on to win major national and international awards. "Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne", "Aranyer Dinratri", "Pratidwandi" directed by Satyajit Ray, "Chhuti" directed by Arundhati Devi, and "Hatey Bajare" directed by Tapan Sinha, are just some of the unforgettable names. PEPL has received the President's Gold Award for Best Producer, for three consecutive years.
|
| ^ go top |
| |
The history of PEPL dates back to the days of Piyali Films. It produced some of the most memorable films in the history of Indian Cinema. Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne, Aranyer Dinratri, Pratidwandi, Chhuti, Hatey Bajare to name a few.
Piyali Films also established as one of the largest film distribution company in eastern India, Priya Cinema, its flagship single screen hall, was the first to screen the most popular Charlie Chaplin movie "CITY LIGHTS" on the 2nd May 1958.
Priya Entertainments Private Limited started almost a decade ago. Since then, it has grown and evolved consistently. It ventured into taking over the operations, up-gradation and management of various halls in and around Kolkata starting with GLOBE. The Gitanjali Cultural Complex, Bolpur (Shantiniketan) was next, which was soon followed by the Krishti Cultural Complex, Memari (Burdwan), Annapurna Multiplex/Mall (under construction) Sonarpur(24 Parganas - South), the Star Theatre (north Kolkata), and the latest being the Satyajit Mancha, Balurghat (South Dinajpur), thus forging public private partnerships with municipal corporation to which these properties belong. |
| ^ go top |
| |
1967 : Production of "Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne" directed by Satyajit Ray
1967 : "Hate Bajare" President's Gold Medal Award
1968 : "Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne" - Best Direction Award (New Delhi)
1969 : "Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne" - Best Film Award(National Film Award)
1969 : "Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne" - Silver Cross, Adelaide
1969 : "Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne" - Best Director, Auckland
1970 : "Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne" - Merit Award, Tokyo
1970 : "Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne" - Best Film, Melbourne
1970 : "Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne" - President's Gold and Silver Medals, New
Delhi.
1970 : "Aranyer Din Ratri" - Nominated for Best Director Award (Golden Berlin
Bear), Berlin International Film Festival.
1971 : "Pratidwandi" - Best Direction, National Film Awards (Golden Lotus Award),
India
1971 : "Pratidwandi" -Best Screenplay, National Film Awards (Silver Lotus Award), India
1990 : Host for International Film Festival.
2001 : Gitanjali Cultural Complex - best art decor theatre in Asia, TAAL
|
| ^ go top |
| |
At a time when the big names in movie exhibition and distribution are promoting multiplexes in Kolkata, Priya Entertainments Pvt. Ltd. is planning to strengthen its base through cultural complexes in the districts of West Bengal. Having already turned the Gitanjali Cultural Complex, Bolpur (Shantiniketan) into a movie-watching hub, PEPL wants to repeat the success with the Krishti Cultural Complex, Memari (Burdwan), Vidyasagar Memorial Hall in Guskara (Burdwan), Satyajit Mancha in Balurghat (South Dinajpur) and then convert the Annapurna Multiplex /Mall (under construction), Sonarpur (24 Parganas - South) into the first rural Cineplex.
Apart from exhibition, PEPL has taken up film distribution in a big way. It has already distributed over 500 films, and plans to touch the 1000 mark in the next 5-7 years.
PEPL is also planning to re-enter into film production, having produced a few memorable films like Satyajit Ray's Aranyer Din Ratri, Pratidwandi and Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne under the Piyali Films banner. PEPL wants to revive the banner again. Already in talks with other production houses, both national and international, for joint ventures, PEPL is looking at bi-lingual projects for international viewership.
Another ambitious PEPL plans is to get into eco-tourism. Mr. Arijit Dutta, Managing Director, Priya Entertainments Pvt. Ltd. believes West Bengal provides tremendous scope for eco-tourism with its rich and varied natural landscape. "We have the snows, the rolling meadows, the riverine areas and the dry patches. I see no reason why for shooting films we need to go outside Bengal if we can develop these locations properly" says the man with a passion for nature travel. |
|
